Best Chilean Foods

Along with Chile's rich culture comes delicious foods. Save the diet for when you return home.

Empanada: Although some Argentineans claim the it as their own, most people agree that the empanada is Chilean. You can buy empanadas all over Chile. “Pino” and “queso” empanadas are the most common. Pino empanadas are stuffed with meat, a half an egg, and an olive. Queso empanadas are just made with cheese. Empanadas can be fried or baked. You can expect to find them in street vendors, cafés and restaurants. I suggest trying the seafood empanada and the shrimp and cheese empanada at any restaurant in Concon.

Sopaipilla: These are dough balls that are flattened and fried. They are good with pebre, ketchup or mustard. Note that some people selling sopaipillas on the street use the same oil for several batches. It’s better to buy them in restaurants or make them at home. You can buy empanada dough mix in the Jumbo or any supermarket.

Manjar: I'm personally not a huge fan of manjar, but many tourists come to chile and divulge themselves in the sweets filled with this condensed milk and sugar paste. You can buy cookies and cakes topped with manjar or if you really want to, go for the tubes of manjar that you can squeeze right into your mouth.

Pastel de Choclo: Literally translated into corn pastry, Pastel de Choclo is a special treat for many Chileans. It consists of cut up corn, chicken and sometimes another kind of meat, and sprinkled with sugar. It sounds a little bizarre, but you'll find it delicious.

Completo: The completo is a hot dog on a toasted bun topped with tomatoes, avocado and usually a little too much mayonnaise. You'll notice the signs for cheap completos all over the place. You can get an offer for tea and a completo for under 1.000 mil (less than $2) in many places.

When you are in Chile, don't forget about the bread. Go to any panadería and buy a cheap sandwhich.

Get recipes for some foods listed above.